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Baking magic with Elizabeth Baird: 3 cookie recipes for the holiday season

celebrating the cookie season with a special treat from Elizabeth Baird - archive photo

Special to Postmedia Network

Published: December 5, 2018 - 6:00 AM

By ELIZABETH BAIRD

Special to Postmedia Network

Award-winning cookbook author and Order of Canada recipient Elizabeth Baird is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of home cooks. Here, she offers Postmedia readers an early Christmas gift with some of her favourite holiday cookies.

This is the season for cookies. Easy to make, great as gifts, your ticket to the office cookie exchange and a fine part of holiday entertaining. And all you need are three recipes. Shortbread with variations, gingerbread, and a gluten-free cookie everyone at the party can enjoy. Let’s start with the shortbread, the melt-in-your mouth kind of cookie.

Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper or leave ungreased; set aside. Twenty minutes before baking shortbread cut- outs, place the oven rack at the centre of the oven; heat oven to 300F (150C).

In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light coloured. Stir in vanilla, salt and cornstarch. Add flour, half at at a time; stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Divide in half; shape into discs. Wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hour. Let soften slightly. On floured counter, roll out each half of dough to generous 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into shapes. Arrange about 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets; chill until firm, about 45 minutes. Bake until light golden on bottom, and firm to touch, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer to racks to cool. (Make-ahead: Layer with waxed paper in airtight containers and store at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.)

This absolutely delicious gingerbread recipe comes from Fort York National Historic Site and is the recipe the Fort’s cooks roll and cut into the shape of soldiers. Packages of these spicy cookies are best sellers in the Fort’s gift shop, the Canteen. You can cut out into any holiday shape, decorate with Royal Icing, see below for the recipe.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in molasses. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. In two additions, stir flour mixture into molasses mixture. Remove from bowl and knead lightly on floured counter to make dough smooth. Press into 4 discs; wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

On floured work surface, roll dough, 1 disc at a time, to scant 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. Cut out shapes, rerolling dough. Arrange about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until firm to touch and slightly darkened on the underside, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes; transfer to racks to cool. (Make ahead: Layer with waxed paper in airtight containers.

Store at cool room temperature for up to 1 week; freeze for up to 1 month.) To decorate, pipe or spread Royal Icing in decorative patterns on the cookies. Press glittery coloured sugar or sparkly candies into the icing. Let dry before layering with waxed paper in airtight containers.

Makes about 50 cookies in shapes such as gingerbread folk, mittens, stars, trees and angels.

In a bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Add icing sugar, 1 cup (250 mL) at a time, beating for about 5 minutes or until the icing is glossy, white and firm. (Make ahead: Cover surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.)Makes about 2 cups (500 mL).

File photo

Sparkly Chocolate Almond MoundsGround almonds are the “flour” that holds these cookies together.

Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Twenty minutes before baking the cookies, place an oven rack to centre of oven and heat oven to 325%F (160%C). In a heatproof bowl set over hot not boiling water, melt chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature.

In a separate bowl beat eggs, sugar and honey until foamy. Stir in salt, vanilla and then the almonds. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or up to 1 day.

Scoop out rounded tablespoons (15 mL) of dough onto 1 of lined baking sheets. Pour coarse sugar into a shallow bowl. While dough is still cold, roll balls between your palms until smooth and round. Roll each of balls in sugar. Return balls to prepared sheet and freeze until hard, about 30 minutes.

Place about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on prepared pans. Bake until bottoms are slightly darkened, about 15 minutes. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool. (Make-ahead: Layer between waxed paper in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.)